Combination writing pad and flash light



Nov. 29, 1932. PEREIRA 1,889,373

COMBINATION WRITING PAD AND FLIASH LIGHT Filed Jan. 19, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l 6 QNVENTOR Nov. 29, 1932. 1.. PEREIRA 1,889,373

COMBINATION WRITING PAD AND FLASH LIGHT Filed Jan. 19, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fieonaraperelm ATTORNEY mama 2a, 1932 PATENT OFFICE nnon'm MA, m YORK, I. Y.

- coxnma'nou wnrrmo ran um rmn mom Applieaflca fled January 19, 1933- Serial Io. 587,485.

This invention relates to. a combined illuminated writing pad and flashlight.

It is a major object of this invention to provide a casin in which is incorporated a tiltable lamp, rawin current from a conventional dry cell within the casing and controlled by a switch, the lamp compartment having a hinged top member and a difiusmg lens.

Another object is to rovide a casing in which a lamp and a c osure member are simultaneously tiltable to a.-.plurality of positions to effect in one position a flashl ght and in another position to provide illumination for a writing pad or tablet removably and refillably carried by the casing.

A further object is in the provision 1n such a casing of guideways for a removable o writingtablet which may be covered when not in use and which tablet is positioned in a tray slideable in the ways. J

A still further object is to arrange in such a device, a clip along one side ofthe casing receptive of a writing implement and having a hood for the protection of the point of the implement.

A further object is in the provision of such a device in which the casing is formed into a plurality of compartments, one contaimng a lamp and mechanism for tilting it and a hinged closure member and reflector, the second, receptive of a dry cell for supplying current to the lamp and a third adapted for the storage of spare lamp bulbs and accessories, all the compartments but the first being easily accessible by removal of the tablet tray. 7

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive to make, easy to use, positive in action, efiicient and durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

Other useful objects and advantages will 46 become apparent from the following specification which describes the attending drawings illustrative of a preferred form of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 shows in perspective a device con- 59 structed in accordance with the invention and arranged for use as an illuminated writing tablet.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the device as arranged to be used as a flashli ht.

F 1g. 3 is a plan section showing the llght compartment, a portion of the battery and the light switch.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantial- 1 along the line 44 of Fig. 3, and showing t e device arranged for use as a flashli ht.

Fig. '5 is a similar view showing the evice as arranged to illuminate the pad'or tablet.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is an enlar d vertical sectional view of the lamp -assem%ily.

Fig. 8 isa transverse sectional view through the case and pad.

The casing 10 is formed with a bottom 11,

side walls 12 and 13 and end walls 14 and 15. Partitions 16 and 17 may be employed to divide the casing 10-into compartments suchas 18, 19 and 20. The side walls 12 and 13 are provided with longitudinal guide beads 21 to form ways spaced from the top edges which are inturned as at 22. Alon the upper longitudinal edge of the side wal 13 there is provided an inturned hinge 23 for a cover plate 24 and both this hinge and a portion of the oppositely disposed inturned edge 22 of the side wall 12 form the top guides fora pad tray 25 which may be inserted endwise between the beads ,21 and the top guides v The tray, 25 is receptive of a replaceable writing pad or tablet 26 and at one end is provided with spring clips 27 to retain the free ends of the tablet paper and also with a finger notch 28 to assist in removing a sheet or the entire pad.-

In the compartment 19 may be placed a conventional dry cell 29 having the usual ter-' minal members 30 and 31. A retaining angle 32 may be employed to position the cell should the width of the casing 10 be too great.

The compartment 20 may be used to store spare lamp bulbs and other accessories appertaining to the device.

Mounted for rotationin the side walls 12 and 13 and extending across the compartment 18 there is rovided a shaft 33 having a turn knob 34. entrally, the shaft is offset as at 33a to receive an insulation plate 35 into which is set a peripheral contact wire 36 having a radial portion 37 terminating in a head 38.

A socket sleeve 39 havinginternal threadsto receive the threaded shank of a lamp 40, is set into the insulating plate 35 and is provided with ears 41 which may be soldered orotherwise attached to the shaft 33. Afiixed'to the socket sleeve 39 is a section 42 from a reflector 43 which itself is fixedly attached to the bottom wall 11 and so positioned that when the lamp 40 is in the position shown in Fig. 4, the reflector 42 is complete and the light from the lamp will be directed through the vdiffusing lens 44 set into the end wall 15.

Prongs 45 serve to hold the diffusing lens 44 in place.

To the shaft 33 is securely fixed a crank plate 46, and a link 47 is pivotally connected at one of its ends with the plate and has its other end pivotally connected to a reflector plate 48 hinged at 49 to the end wall 15.

An arcuate slot 50 in the crank plate 46 is in slidable engagement with a pin 51 on one end of a spring conductor member 52 fixed to the side wall 12, the other end being formed to contact with the terminal 31 of the battery 29 when the switch lever 53 is swung to the right (Fig. 3).

The terminal 30 of the battery is contacted b one end of a headed pin 54 slidably mounted in an insulating bushing 55 carried by the artition 16, with its headed end in constant rictional engagement with the contact wire 36.

When it is desired to use the device as a flashlight the parts are arranged as seen in Figs. 2 and 4. The cover 48 is closed and the lamp 40 disposed so its light rays may, by means of the reflector 43 be directed through, the diffusing lens 44. When the switch lever 53 is operated the battery current flows as follows: From the battery 29 to the terminal 31, spring member 52, crank plate 46, shaft 33, ears 41, socket sleeve 39, lam 40, head 38, contact wire 37-36, pin 54 an battery terminal 30.

When the device is to be used as a writing pad as shown in Fig. 1, the cover plate 24 is opened and the turnknob 34 is turned to ra se the reflector plate 48 and simultaneously tilt the lamp 40 into an upright position (Fig. 5). The portion 42 of the reflector may then also serve as an anti-glare shield so that only the li ht rays which are reflected from the polis ed surface of cover 48 will be directed onto the writing tablet 26. The light circuit remains as before described as the wire 36 at all times has a sliding contact with the pin 54.

To assist the use and to provide a more complete device, a pencil clip 56 may be arranged along the wall 13 to receive a pencil 57 and to protect the pencil point a hood 58 may be employed as most clearly shown in 'modifications in construction and arrangement of parts may well be made without departing from the general scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, having a casing formed with a plurality of compartments, and a writing pad receiving tray slidably received in said casing and adapted to cover all but one of said compartments; a tilting lamp, a tilting reflector, means to simultaneously tilt the lamp and the reflector so that in one position the pad is illuminated by the reflected light of the lamp and in the other position the reflector serves to cover the lamp compartment so that light rays from the lamp are directed through a diffusing lens carried by a wall of the casing, a battery in said casing and a switch to close the circuit between the battery and the lamp.

2. In a device of the character described, having a tiltable lamp, means to tilt the lamp comprising a shaft having an offset portion, a turnknob on said shaft, an insulation plate mounted in the offset portion of the shaft, a peripheral conductor member carried by the insulation plate, a radial conductor member integral with the peripheral member and terminating in a contact terminal head, a lamp socket fixed with the shaft and co-axial with the contact terminal head and a lamp engageable in said socket and contactable with said head.

3. In a device of the character described, having a casing formed with a plurality of compartments and having a writing pad receivlng tray slidably mounted between two walls of the casing; a diffusing lens in one of the outer walls, means selectively to direct the light rays from the lamp either through the diffusing lens or upon the surface of the writing pad, said means comprising a shaft having an offset portion journalled within the casing, a turnknob affixed to the shaft externally of the casing, an insulation plate mounted in the offset portion of the shaft, a peripheral conductor member carried by the insulation late, a radial conductor member integral with the peripheral member and terminating in a contact terminal head, a lamp socket fixed with the shaft and coaxial with the contact terminal head and a lamp engagefiblel in said socket and contactable with said 4. In a combined flashlight and writing pad device, a casing having a plurality of compartments, guide ways in the casing above the compartments receptive of a writing pad, a diffusing lens in one end of the casing, a tiltable lamp in the casing rearward of said diffusing lens and adapted to be tilted to either horizontal or vertical position and when in a horizontal position to direct its rays through the lens, a hinged closure plate for the lamp compartment having a reflective 1o inner surface, and means for simultaneously tilting the lamp to vertical position and raising the closure plate to an angled position whereby the light rays from the lamp when in such vertical position are reflected onto the writing surface of the pad. l

5. In a device of the character described, a casing, a cover for one portion of said casing hinged to a longitudinal wall thereof, a cover plate for the remainder of the casing hinged to an end wall thereof, and having a reflective inner surface, a difl'using lens in said end wall. a tiltable lamp supported in the latter portion of the casing, and arranged to lie wholly within the casing when the latter cover plate is closed, and when in such position to direct its rays through the lens, and means to simultaneously raise the latter cover plate and tilt the lamp, so that the light rays are reflected by the latter cover plate to illuminate the first mentioned portion of the casing. 6. In a device of the character described,

a casing. a cover for one portion of said casing hinged to a longitudinal wall thereof, a

cover plate for the remainder of the casing :15 hinged to an end wall thereof, a difl'using lens in said end wall, a tiltable lamp supported in the latter portion of the casing, and arranged to lie wholly within the casing when the latter cover plate is closed and when 40 in such position to direct its rays through the lens, means to simultaneously raise the latter cover plate and tilt the lamp to illuminate the first mentioned portion of the casing, said means comprising a shaft having an offset portion, a turn knob fixed to said shaft,

an insulation plate mounted in the offset portion of the shaft, a peripheral conductor member carried by the insulation plate, a

radial conductor member fixed with the peripheral member and terminating in a contact terminal head. a lamp socket fixed with the shaft and (o-axial with the contact terminal head. a lamp engageable in said socket and coutactahle with said head, a crank plate on said shaft, and a link connecting the latfor cover plate with the crank plate.

Signed at New York, in the county and Stage of ew York. this 18th day of January, j 193 no n p i LEONARD PEREIRA, 

